


These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)

by spoondragon



Category: The Pacific (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-20
Updated: 2018-01-20
Packaged: 2019-03-07 00:34:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13422939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spoondragon/pseuds/spoondragon
Summary: After the war, Snafu frequents the flea market and collects things that remind him of Eugene.  He thinks he's sly, but Eugene might be onto him.





	These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [albertblithe (Gabbaroni)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gabbaroni/gifts).



> This started off as a simple little sledgefu headcanon for my beloved Gabby (albertblithe) who needed some help with writer’s block. But since I can’t leave well enough ALONE, it turned into this POV-shifting, tense-shifting absolute HOT. MESS. But here it is anyway? ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

**NOW**

Merriell loves the flea market. He goes to the one in Crescent Park every Sunday while most people are at church. He enjoys the fresh air, the sunshine and the freedom to roam about as he pleases, touching whatever he wants to without some stuck-up sales clerk giving him the stink eye.

Sure, most of it’s junk. But sometimes he gets lucky and spots a real treasure next to the broken appliances and moth-eaten clothes. Now, “treasure” is a relative word, of course. But Merriell knows one when he sees one. A set of those little wooden dolls that fit into each other, painted up to look like skeletons; a wonky cactus that looks exactly like a limp dick; a rare Billie Holiday record (missing the outer sleeve, but still); a pipe “hand carved by Ukrainian artisans” (or so the says the greasy old man hawking it).

The pipe reminds him of Eugene, so much so, that when he sees it he feels a little sick and buys it right away, not even bothering to haggle down the frankly ridiculous price. In fact, the little ceramic fox now sitting on his shelf, might've also made him think of a certain long-snouted redhead... Ok. So, now that he thinks of it, there might be a bunch of things sitting on his treasure shelf that you could say remind him of Eugene. Not that anyone could tell looking at it. Not even Eugene himself… probably.

Merriell sincerely hopes not. Eugene is coming to pick him up Friday for Burgie’s wedding. It’ll be the first time he’s been inside Merriell’s apartment. Which is fine. It’s a nice enough apartment. He’s got a cat and some houseplants (that don’t even all look like dicks). But he doesn’t really let anybody in. And Eugene isn’t anybody. Maybe he’ll rearrange the shelf.

\--

At first Eugene thinks that Snafu is just uncomfortable having him in his space after all this time, rifling through his things. But he’s more than happy to chatter on about the dick cactus and introduce him to his cat, so he's not sure that that's it. Eugene carefully plucks the tiny fox figurine out of the clutter, turning it over in his hands. He smooths one finger down it’s long, slightly crooked snout and it clicks. Maybe it’s the color creeping across Snaf’s tawny cheeks or the almost shy way he touches the back of his neck when Eugene inspects certain things. But Eugene knows. The pipe was suspicious, but it’s the fox that really does it.

 

**THEN**

One night on Pavuvu, they had been drinking and playing cards with Burgie and Jay. Out of nowhere, Jay had asked, “if you were an animal, what animal do you think you’d be?” They had all cracked up, because honestly, what the hell? But random as it was, it was still better than the ever-looming dread that was liable to creep into your brain if you left it unoccupied for too long. So, they’d played along. Jay had said he’d be an eagle because then he could fly. Burgie’d said he’d be a bear because “nobody’s gonna fuck with a bear”. They’d all laughed but then Snafu had interrupted. “Nah, nah. See, we can’t pick for ourselves ‘cause we’re all just gonna pick the baddest-ass animal we can think of. ‘S’not fair.”

Drunk logic had prevailed and soon they’d all been trying to unanimously decide what animal each of the others would be. Though absent, Leyden was declared a bulldog immediately, with no discussion or debate. Snafu was deemed a cat, due to his fondness for the sun and high places and his general lack of fucks given about anything else. It was decided that Burgie would be a wolf since he was always looking out for the pack and was a good leader. Jay was a rabbit because he was quiet, fast and skittish. ("Fuck you guys! I’m not _skittish_!”) But everyone had come up short when it came to Eugene. They’d all contemplated their cards quietly until Snafu had suddenly announced, “Gene’s a fox.” There was a beat of silence before the men erupted into laughter.

“I always thought you might lean that way, Snaf!"

"I mean, he _does_ have pretty hair…"

"So, you guys goin’ steady or…?"

"Man, fuck y'all! Ya know what I fuckin’ meant!” Snafu had spat, tossing his cards onto the table. Eugene had noted that his face was decidedly red and that he wouldn’t meet his eyes.

—

Months later, in the back of a Chinese rickshaw after many, strong, celebratory beverages, Eugene had asked him why he’d chosen a fox for him in the first place. Snafu had shrugged a shoulder and looked away. Eugene had thought that would be the end of it. Maybe he was the only one who even remembered.

“Dunno. Kinda look like one I guess," Snafu's voice had surprised him. Eugene had turned to find him studying his face, so close he had felt his breath on his cheeks. "Got the same color hair, same long-ass nose…” he’d said, eyes roaming over his features. “Plus, they’re supposed to be real smart little fuckers, right? Sly as a fox and all that?”

“Guess so,” Eugene had replied, suddenly remembering Bill Leyden explaining to him that 'sly' was slang for when a guy liked 'the pole more than the hole'. He'd been using the term to take the piss out of Snafu. Eugene felt his face flush with heat.

The bouncing rickshaw had started to make him drowsy. At some point, his head had lolled onto Snafu’s shoulder. Snafu had stiffened for a second, making Eugene reluctantly think of moving it, but Snafu had relaxed and snaked an arm around his shoulders to rest on the back of the seat. Eugene had studiously pretended to be dozing, hoping that Snafu couldn't feel his heart hammering against his ribs where they were pressed together.

“We had chickens, growing up,” Snafu had said, so randomly it’d almost startled Eugene out of his stupor. “Not many. But enough so’s we always had eggs to eat or trade or whatever. Well, I guess this little red fox had caught wind of that fact. I’d see him in the early mornings, before anybody else was up, out in the fog just casing the joint. Trying to figure out how to get him some and not get caught,” by the sound of Snafu’s voice Eugene could tell he’d turned toward him. “He was the prettiest thing I ever saw. Never did catch him neither…"

It had taken every ounce of Eugene’s will not to open his eyes to see what kind of look had accompanied the softness in Snafu’s voice. They had arrived back at the barracks though, and neither of them had ever spoken of foxes again.

**NOW**

Eugene crosses the tiny living room in two strides, fox figurine still in hand. Snafu is watching his approach, eyes darting all over Eugene’s face, as close to afraid as Eugene has seen him off the battlefield. Eugene pulls him close, cupping his slender nape and sinking his fingers into the springy curls. Snafu’s lips are chapped but his mouth is molten softness and his clever tongue sends shivers down Eugene’s spine. Their kiss deepens and Snafu makes a noise like his heart is breaking and fists his hand in the fabric of Eugene’s shirt. Eugene pins him against the wall, his mouth a wildfire across Snafu’s skin.

As they struggle with their clothing, desperate for closeness and release, both achingly hard and panting, Eugene hears Snafu make a very incongruous _tsk_ sound. He pries the fox from Eugene’s hand and very carefully sets it back on its shelf. Mouth agape, chest still heaving, Eugene raises his eyebrows at Snafu, wordlessly asking him if he’s fucking serious.

"It’s a one of a kind,” Snafu shrugs. “Now take your fuckin’ pants off, Foxy."

**Author's Note:**

> Title is taken from the song of the same name by Billie Holiday.


End file.
